The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-05


my disciples, indeed and ye shall know the
truth. and the truth shall make you Free
John viii 81. 81
The Galilean prophet had succeeded
in this instance in converting some OF
the Jews from a slavish adherence to
the forms of the old law, to the adop-
ton of the spirit of grace; and know
ing the uncertain feeling apt to control
somewhat hesitating converts to new
truth, and the uncertainty Of contln-
uance therein, he encourages them with
the statement: eff We continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples indeed +;
and We shall know the truth and the
truth shall make you free" Thus he
also informs them that they are not to
expect any wonderful transformation
in a moment, as they stand upon the
new ground of faith. 1t is by contin-
uance that they are to come into disei-
pleship; by continuance that they are
to come into knowledge of the truth
and be made free.
And surely this is not an impractical
position to assume. In what pursuit
of life is the condition different from
this g? Are you convinced that you
have been plodding in unfruitful paths
where the genius of your nature could
sparsely assert itself, and have you
awakened to the natural aptitude which
you have for, say, intricate mechanical
industry? Do you then on the moment
of this new revelation look for the sum
of gain to be derived from this transit
ton ? If so, you look in vain. 1t is
only with close application and contin-
uous industry, that you find the larger
fruits in the more congenial field. Or
under the conviction that you possess a
talent for letters you have given up the
pursuit which demanded executive abil-
ity, or some other quality of mind, or a
dizziness of hand; are you persuaded
that Immediately you must produce
works of the highest order and rarest
merit {? Not so, if you have sufficient
talent to secure success; it will be af-
ter years of arduous and painstaking
toll. Results are scarcely ever instan-
taneous, 4. e., results which are desira-
BILE. whether it be that one looks for
them in business, letters or religion.
Time and development seem necessary
for desirable, permanent fruitage.
So, then, there appears nothing out of
the line of natural expectation, or the
conclusion of good common sense in the
encouraging words of the Master to the
newly-converted Jews. 1t was the ex-
preston of proper discernment and
practical wisdom. 1t gave them cour-
age. If they did not perceive at once
the immensely wider horizon of their
new religious world, why, patience; let
their eyes have chance to adjust
themselves to the new relations; then
fairly could they look with the expec-
fancy of seeing farther and better. If
all at once the surprising truth OF the
doctrines of faith, hope and love did not
Undue their minds and hearts, why, take
a little time and let the law of develop
ment work, and then it would be proper
to form something of an estimate. And
it is not at all improbable that those
who continued, did come to see with
larger and clearer vision; were more
and more imbued with that surprising
truth which bears the healthful, holy
recommendation of making its adhe-
rents free in the unbounded freedom of
life.
1t is in the application of this princi-
pie, to my own mind and soul, that l
have come to have misgivings of any
intellectual system or religious doctrine
which promises wondrous, immediate
transformation from the old to the new,
into SURPRISING requirements and ecs-
tatic moods, which are claimed to be
healthful and abiding. 1t seems to me
that the only way such promises can be
kept, is in the violation of continuous,
unchanging laws which govern mind
and spirit, demanding, as in the lower
realm, that there shall be processes of
growth. 1t looks to US perfectly proper
and right, that the most beautiful lily
of the valley should terminate, slowly
find the light, develop stem and leaf,
and then give forth its blossom of
beauty that the precious stone should
come up through infinite changes from
the root state to the reflection of all the
rays of the sunlight above us. And
when we view the same law at work in
the growth Of the little mind which
first wrestles with the alphabet, addi-
ton and subtraction, up to the great
mind which creates philosophy, science,
theology, and with wondrous penetra-
ton solves the mathematical problems
of earth and sky, we are satisfied that
this is the favored path of development
which God has ordained, and neither
look for nor expect sudden transfer
nation. All is natural, steady and
satisfactory.
But tits nothing new in this day for
the world to be told that new mental
discoveries furnish the opportunity to
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